Police seal neighbourhoods, restrict movement, and carry out early morning demolitions of religious sites; Muslim residents claim a lack of time and due process
NEW DELHI — A series of demolitions of mosques, shrines, and Eidgahs in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the past two days has caused anger among Indian Muslims, with residents raising serious concerns about fairness, timing, and due process.
In Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand, the administration carried out a major demolition drive early Saturday morning. According to local accounts, the operation commenced around 4 am, when police and officials entered the area with heavy machinery. Residents say the entire Muslim neighbourhood was effectively confined to their homes during the operation.
A mosque and two shrines in the Gularbhoj area were demolished using bulldozers. Officials from the Irrigation Department, along with district authorities and a large police force, were present. Police sealed off the area, and residents were not allowed to step outside their homes during the operation.
One resident said, “We were not even allowed to come out of our homes. We just watched from inside as our place of worship was demolished. This is not justice.”
Another resident added, “If something is illegal, there is a law to deal with it. Why were we treated like this? Why were we locked inside?”
Officials, however, defended the action. A senior officer said, “The entire settlement stands on Irrigation Department land. Notices were issued earlier. The structures demolished did not have legal protection from the court.”
Residents, on the other hand, pointed out that they had approached the Supreme Court, which had granted a stay on demolishing the settlement. They claim that despite this, religious structures were singled out and removed.
A community member said, “We went to the court and got relief. Still, only our mosque and shrines were demolished. This has hurt us deeply.”
In the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, another incident has added to the tension. A shrine located in the Fisher Forest area was demolished on Saturday morning at the direction of the Forest Department.
Officials stated that a notice was issued on January 23 asking the shrine committee to provide documents proving ownership or legal status. According to the department, no documents were submitted even after several deadlines.
A regional forest officer said, “The shrine was completely illegal. The concerned parties failed to provide any proof despite repeated notices. Therefore, action was taken as per the law.”
However, members of the Muslim community involved in the case strongly disagreed. One representative said, “We were not given enough time or proper opportunity to present our side. We will now go to court and challenge this action.”
These demolitions come at a time when similar actions have been reported in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, where several mosques, shrines, and Eidgahs have been removed in recent days. Authorities claim that these structures were built on government land without permission.
In some cases, locals themselves removed structures after receiving notices, reportedly to avoid confrontation. However, many in the Muslim community believe that the actions reflect a pattern.
A local activist said, “There is a sense that only Muslim places are being targeted. Even if the issue has legality, the way it is being done raises serious questions.”
Another resident from Uttar Pradesh said, “We respect the law, but the law should be equal for all. Why are only our religious places being demolished like this?”
Despite the scale of the demolitions, there has been no large-scale protest so far. Observers say this may be due to fear, heavy police presence, and restrictions imposed during the operations.
A local elder explained, “People are afraid. When police seal areas and act early in the morning, how can anyone protest? We are left with no choice but to stay silent.”
Legal experts note that affected parties still have the option to challenge the demolition operations in court. Several Muslim groups have indicated that they will seek judicial intervention in the coming days.
The administration continues to maintain that all actions were taken according to the law and only against structures deemed illegal. However, for many Indian Muslims in the affected areas, the issue goes beyond legality.
As one resident put it, “This is not just about land or buildings. These places have religious and emotional value for us. The way they were removed has caused deep pain.”
The situation remains tense, with calls for a fair review and legal scrutiny growing louder among the community.
